An Unglamorous Happy Ending
by cinematic daydreams
Summary: Sequel To A Cinderella Story. / When Jack and Kim finally seem to be getting their happy ending, the ropes of fate continue to disrupt their journey. Can their relationship stay strong, or shall it crash and burn? Seems like the odds are against Kim. Is she doomed to a tragic happy ending? / One-shot.


**Author's Note:**

_This is the sequel one-shot to A Cinderella Story, called An Unglamorous Happy Ending (: It's summer for the gang, but they are still getting up to their usual mischief in the dojo. All is well after The Girl In Red incident, until Jack starts acting very unusual around Kim. _

_Well, I'm not going to reveal too much at all. I don't want to ruin things, and I am very good at stalling, may I just say. ;) Lol. I'm lame. Anyways, enjoy the sequel. Made it nice and long for you guys! Virtual hugs and cookies for all of you!_

_**DISCLAIMER: **__When I kiss Josh Hutcherson, I will own Kickin' It. _

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

**KIM**

Yes. Finally. School is out. And it's that time of year again! Oh yeah, summer baby! A summer that will be semi-spent without Julie, sadly, since her and Milton will be off to math camp for the next three weeks.

I would have been worrying if it were last year, but after making peace with my ex-arch enemies, Grace and Kelsey will be able to keep me company. It really amazes me how quickly you can become friends with people. Just four weeks ago, whenever I looked at the two girls, I got this really sudden urge to stab them in the neck with a fork.

I woke up this morning exhausted, since last night; we had a girl's night especially for Julie. Almost like a mini-bon voyage party. And looking at my clock, which read 7:09am, Milton and Julie's bus left about an hour or so ago. I sighed as I rolled onto the other side of my bed, climbing out.

I smiled at my room – which still needed a little work. Mr. Johnson, who had replaced Joan's role as a parent whilst she spent her days in jail after committing fraud, had upgraded me from the basement to my very own room, which had been a guest room for a few years. Although, I have to admit, I really miss the darkness of the basement. It feels really weird without it.

I made my way to my bathroom, and looked into the mirror and I shuddered. I looked like a rat. I yawned. And just then, I heard a _beep_ing sound coming from my laptop. I raced out of the bathroom and made my way to the study table, collapsing into the chair, seeing an IM window pop up on my desktop.

It was a message from Julie.

**JulieKingston29: **_Milton says sorry for not saying goodbye. XD And he says to pass on a message to Jack. Spoon._

Spoon? What in the world?

**KimberlyBear: **_Spoon?_

Julie was busy typing a message. I raised my eyebrow and smirked. Julie sneaked her phone with her to camp. I was going to compliment her on her "badass" behavior when she got back. Oh no. Grace was rubbing off on her.

**JulieKingston29: **_Guy code, apparently. Jack will know what it means. Got to go, just arrived. Kisses. (: _

**KimberlyBear: **_Lol. Kisses to you too! And tell Milton I say hi!_

I quickly logged off quickly, marching to my closet to pick out the clothes I was going to wear today, and when I'd decided what to wear, I threw it onto my bed, and disappeared into the bathroom, about to shower.

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

"KIM!" I heard over the music that was blasting off into my ears. I couldn't exactly hear who it was, but I knew they had called my name. If Grace ruined my jam session _again_, I am going to cut off her hand. I pulled my headphones out of my ears, and looked behind me, seeing a certain brunet standing in the door, canning himself.

Oh God.

I quickly took a pillow and covered my PJ shorts, as Jack continued to laugh. I shook my head at him, pressing pause on my phone, and shuffled towards my closet carefully, picking out jeans.

When Jack had calmed down, he looked at me and pouted mockingly. "Did I interrupt Kimmy on her jammy session?"

"I told you!" I heard from beyond my bedroom door, calling from the room next door. _Grace_. I heard a different laugh come after her statement. Oh, so Jerry was here as well? Why was I not notified about this ambush?

"You are evil," I told Jack coldly, and I beat him with my pillow. Jack tried to protect himself with his hands, but it wasn't working. He was shrieking while choking on laughter as he fell to the floor.

"I surrender!" Jack cried. "Stop!"

I gave in, and dropped the pillow onto the floor, and placing my hand on my hip. "Well, are you going to apologize?"

"That was pretty hot," Jack smirked. "I regret nothing."

This time, I kicked him and he groaned out in pain this time, not laughing at all. Good. Serves him right for the unnecessary and inappropriate comment about me in my jim-jams. "We'll see who's laughing when somebody doesn't get their good morning kiss."

Jack's body slacked as his limbs just lazily shift on the floor, so he was looking up at me in a starfish position. "C'mon, Kimmy!"

"You think calling me Kimmy will make it better?" I scoffed. He whined. I laughed. I loved torturing him. Jack shook his head at me, his eyes narrowing. Then came my weakness.

The puppy dog face.

It's enough that Jack looked cute as is, but no, he had to pull the puppy dog face and look even more cute. What girl could not kiss him when he was pulling that face? But it kind of made me laugh at the same time, because he looked even more so like a puppy because of his haircut. I couldn't look into his eyes, so I knew what would twist that face. I sat on his legs, and he groaned once again.

"God, Kim! Go to the gym!" Jack joked.

"And just when I was beginning to feel sorry for you," I shook my head and lifted my weight off his legs. Jack stood up hastily, and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he started chanting. "You are beautiful, and skinny, and cute, and blonde, and pretty, and …" And then I kissed him, but only to shut him up. I seriously hated his babbling. But the kissing was nice. When I pulled away, Jack smirked at me, and said in a French accent, "Hm. Salut, baybee."

I was dating a freak.

"You're weird," I told him, pushing him away playfully. "Now, I need to change." But before Jack could turn around to leave, I added, "Oh, and Milton says spoon." I knew it meant something really weird when Jack's lips curved into a very mischievous smirk, which irritated me.

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

**A Few Days Later …**

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

The workshop had only started a few days after the first of the summer, so since then, Jack and I had spend long afternoons at the dojo, discussing with Rudy what we were going to teach the little kiddos, which wasn't too complex, but also not easy, so they had something to work on.

Jerry and Grace had offered to help out with managing them, while Kelsey and Eddie were assisting with the set up, and the food, when needed (another thing they had in common: A passion for food).

But the last few days hadn't been like the first. They were growing more and more awkward, and it really irritated me. The days, I mean.

There was only one person who could tell me what was going on. One person who was a guru with all of this.

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

**GRACE**

"This is Jack we're talking about, Kim," I told the blonde, who was seated on the couch next to me, her legs hugged into her chest as she stared at the TV, obviously avoiding to meet eyes with me and not paying attention. Kim had just told me the very awful story of how her and Jack were seeming to go a little downhill already, after they _just_ got together. Even though they've barely been together a month, they'd been through a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean a hell load. "Jack is … pretty … bubbly."

This time, Kim looked at me, with horror. I couldn't help but kind of laugh. "Bubbly?"

"In a guy sort of way," I shrugged at her. "Likeable."

"Not lately," Kim sighed. "He seems kind of distant." Kim had a panicked look cross her features. "Grace, do you think Jack could be cheating on me?"

What did I just hear? "Are you kidding me?" I rolled my eyes. "He would never. You're just being a really psycho concerned girlfriend." My step-sister didn't look like she believed me, so I honestly added, "Plus, if he did, I'd know. Jerry would have told me. We tell each other everything."

"You're right," Kim giggled stiffly. "I'm being a little paranoid."

"A little?" I raised my eyebrow.

Kim looked at me seriously. It was kind of scary to see her like that. It's a look I hadn't seen on her face since Joan left, and I didn't like the shivers it gave me. "But he's keeping something from me, for sure. Yeah, might not be another girl …"

"You are blonde," I bluntly added, which got a laugh out of Kim, thank God. "What else would he want?"

"But he is keeping something," Kim said, standing up, looking determined. "And I'm going to get it out of him."

"Don't beat him up," I told Kim, knowing it was the first option on her mind.

"Damnit," Kim muttered, and I laughed.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe when all of you are juggling the little kiddies tomorrow, you could ask his casually, or distressfully, and it'll just shoot out of his mouth." I was hoping that was the case, and that someone had died instead of another blonde hiding under his bed twenty four seven. Ugh, Grace. What a Jerry thought. We are barely sixteen.

Kim smiled, and soon had her arms around me, and gave me a short squeeze. "Thanks, Grace. You're the best."

"I am dating Jerry," I sighed in disgust. It was a mission, just keeping up with the Latino. He was crazy, and you never knew what he was going to say or do next. It could give a girl grey hair. But either way, I guess, he was my crazy Latino. My very _cute_ crazy Latino.

Kim laughed at my remark before exiting the living room, more jumpy and happy than she was a second ago. I swear she could be considered bipolar. I turned my attention back to the TV, and saw the horror movie that was playing. Paranormal Activity. I watched the blank bedroom scene bored, and when something came flying into the direction of the camera, I was certainly caught off guard and let out a shriek.

Ugh. Even Jerry's shrieks were contagious.

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

**KIM**

"Billy – oh, Kevin! Don't punch Billy in the face! He did nothing to you!" Jack was telling off the two six year olds in the corner. I was leading the class, since Jack was dealing with them after they broke out into a fistfight because Billy "won't move up".

"Okay guys," I said looking amongst the group mixed with children from the age five to seven. "I'm going to teach you guys the next move. It's called a drop kick. Now what you do is …"

"Kim! Jerry's playing with my hair," I let out an irritated sigh and looked at the little girl, who said her name was Kate, busy sitting with her arms folded grumpily. Like she had stated, Jerry was indeed playing with her hair.

"Jerry!" I groaned.

He looked up at me front her hair innocently. "Grace is teaching me how to do a fishtail braid."

I looked beside him, where Grace was, braiding the girl next to Kate's ginger hair. My shoulders drooped at her pleadingly. She looked at me as if she was going to shrug. But she didn't. "You can't do karate with loose hair, Kim. Not everybody's a black belt and can handle retarded pieces of hair flying into their faces."

"Kim! Grace swore!" Kate called again, pointing at Grace. I face palmed and put my fingers through my hair, looking at Jack, who was still sorting out the kids. Oh, who am I kidding? I couldn't do this alone.

"Grace, don't swear in front of the children!" I complained.

"Retard is a totally accurate name for someone who is stupid," Grace said snootily.

"Then Billy's a retard!" I heard Kevin call from Jack's corner, and then the dojo, full of kids, erupted into very loud chatter, the word "retard" being sounded in many areas of the room at once. What had Grace done?

"Grace! Seriously!" Jack shouted, trying to break up another fight that had started in the corner. I could feel the stress make my eyelids want to close shut for a very long time.

Eddie and Kelsey came out of Rudy's office, appalled looks on their faces. "What in the name of bacon happened?" Eddie exclaimed.

"Grace decided to teach everyone a very nice word," I said sarcastically across to them. "I have a feeling they've learnt a lot today, but it's definitely not just karate." Eddie and Kelsey said something to each other that I couldn't recall. Kelsey smiled.

"Guys! You can make out later!" I whined. "Please help me just shut them up."

Kelsey rolled her eyes at me, and raised her voice to a loud volume I never thought could leave her lungs. "GUYS. IF YOU SHUT UP, WE WILL GIVE YOU HOT DOGS." And like a miracle, they all did shut up, and not only that, but they sat on their mats, legs crossed, and hands in their laps, in totally unnatural blameless positions. "Right. Now keep quiet. Fingers on your lips!" Every kid's index fingers came to their lips – and Jerry copied them. I felt the need to burst out laughing. "Jack will tell me if any one of you even breathe loudly. And if you do, you will NOT be getting any hot dogs. Got it?"

All the kids seemed afraid of Kelsey. I have to admit – I would be too. Oh forget that. I _was_. The two went back into Rudy's office, and I looked at Grace with a knowing look. She made a weird, freaked out lip, and she hit Jerry on the arm, because he was in the same position as the kids. "You baboon," I heard her say hushed to Jerry.

It was so quiet. Finally. I could think. I looked at Jack, who looked like he was thinking really hard, on the floor, his legs also crossed, but he didn't have his finger on his lips. I went over to him, a bit worried, and I sat down next to him.

"You okay?" I asked him.

Jack took a little pause before turned his head to look at me. "Just in the zone." More like out could with his eyes open. I reached for Jack's hand, and his oddly cold fingers intertwined with mine. Jack gave me a sad smile. I wanted to ask what was wrong, and why he hasn't told me (trust me, I could see something was wrong) but I decided to back off and give him a bit of time. When he was ready, he would tell me.

Eddie and Kelsey came out a few times with multiple plates in their hands, ready to give to all the kids. As a punishment, Billy and Kevin were being served last. I was happy that I could finally relax, and it was even harder because it was insanely hot. I could feel my back become a little wet. Oh God. I hope it wasn't showing.

The kids started eating, obviously a little noisy, so the gang decided to have lunch outside, at the tables.

The sun was shining too bright for my liking. I felt it hit my forehead painfully, and I let out a breath before being into my hotdog, which had ketchup and mustard on it. Next to me was Jerry, and opposite was Jack and Grace. Jerry looked at me weirdly. "Holy guacamole, Kim. You're a pig."

"Don't pick on my lady," I expected Jack to say, since he always said that when Jerry made some remark about me, but he just kept still, looking at the hotdog on his paper plate. Grace and I swapped worried glances.

"I'm not all that hungry," Jack shrugged, looking up at us, almost helplessly.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. "Okay, Jack. Spill it. What's wrong?"

Jack didn't look startled by the question at all, it was as if he expected it, but he still decided to shake it off and tell me a lie. "I'm fine."

"You love hot dogs, yo," Jerry said, his mouth full. Grace blinked at her boyfriend. "What?"

"It wouldn't kill you to show some chivalry, gosh," the brunette said to the Latino, in a cold but still jokey way.

"What's chivalry?" Jerry said, confused.

I wasn't focused on their odd conversation, however. I was focused on Jack, who kept his head bowed down, hanging. "Jack."

"Guys, could I talk to Kim for a second?" He said. Uh oh. That didn't sound good.

Grace got up from her seat with her plate. Jerry nodded. "Of course, Jackward." He stayed sitting for a long time, actually. I gave him the look, and he just shrugged at me. Grace finally decided to take control of her boyfriend, pulling him by the shoulder.

"You are an idiot," Grace said to him as soon as they began to walk off and they went into the dojo doors.

When they'd finally gone (completely, without looking at us from inside the dojo), Jack reached across the table and took my hand and sighed. "I know we just got together and everything … but I wanted to tell you first." What did he want to tell me? Was he pregnant? Dear Jesus, look what I'm thinking. It's the nerves, for sure.

"Jack, just shoot," I smiled at him, but he didn't smile back, which was like stabbing me in the gut.

"I'm moving back to Seattle."

My heart stopped beating.

I swear, I died for just a second there. The hot feeling of the sun faded away completely, and I felt really cold all over. What? Jack couldn't be leaving! This was crazy! I was just about to leave, but then he found the will, but now he's leaving? No. God really must be testing me. Or maybe he's joking. I wanted to laugh along with him, but my body wouldn't budge at all. We just sat, looking at each other for what seemed like hours.

"You can't go, Jack," I said softly, trying to stop the tears. "I can't do this again."

Jack gave my hand a squeeze. "Me neither. I didn't think I'd make so many friends, and have to leave you guys behind like this. I tried to distance myself from friends at all because I knew this was going to happen." His voice sounded really tight, like he was about to cry as well. I didn't like this moment.

Not one bit.

"That's why I have to break up with you," Jack said flatly.

WHAT?

Oh screw dying for a second. I just _died_.

"No, Jack," I said, not being able to stop the tears now. I hated crying in front of people – especially Jack. I didn't want him to see my pain. Just when everything was turning out perfectly, there had to be some conflict, just ending all the happiness. "You can't just … give up on us, now."

"I have to," he said, with a little more emotion this time. "I don't want to say goodbye to you, I don't want to give up, but you know how long distance relationships work, and I don't want us going through that. We both know how hard it will be staying faithful to each other with such a distance between us."

"We could try," I said, more tears riding down my cheeks. I could hardly feel my hand anymore; Jack was squeezing it so hard. I was shaking with sobs, uncontrollably crying. I couldn't stop the tears. They kept coming with such force. I could feel the horrible pain coming back to me, like when I thought I was actually going to go, and leave everyone. If this wasn't as bad, this was worse. This was Jack. The only guy I've ever loved. The only guy I could tell absolutely anything to and not expect him to judge me.

He was my best friend.

He couldn't just leave me behind.

Jack's Adam's apple was bobbing up and down as he continuously gulped. He finally looked up at me, his eyes slightly watery. "We can't torture ourselves."

"This is torture," I said loudly. "I don't want to lose you."

"Do you think I want to lose you, Kim?"

I thought about it for a second, before I nodded, and I snatched my hand away from his, getting up quickly. "If you really didn't want to lose me, Jack, you'd be trying all you can to save us!" I felt the anger take over my shivering body, and I turned on my heel, storming into the dojo. I saw everybody's eyes on me – even the kids. I couldn't take they pitiful stares. _I hate pity._

So I decided to make my way to the locker rooms, and I locked the door behind me, my back slipping down the green door, and I brought my knees to my chest, sobbing into them.

I didn't like this feeling of emptiness, of brokenness.

The same feeling I'd have without Jack here.

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

**JACK**

My stomach was twisting endlessly in sore knots. I could feel myself choking on air, trying to control my breathing, stop myself from letting any tears fall. Jack Anderson never cried. He was the one that held everyone together.

But I wouldn't able to be doing that for long. Because I was going.

I knew this was coming. I _saw_ this coming. The rules were I distanced myself from everybody, made no friends. Then Kim's dropped her apple, and I had caught it with my foot, and I felt this instant connection between us and then I met the guys and we had all become fast friends. I swore that I wouldn't hang out with them again, but then my mom told me that we were going to be staying in Seaford longer than she thought, so I thought, ah, what the heck?

What a stupid thought it was.

I was so … vapid to even think that this was our last stop, for good, and that I'd be able to make friends.

Not only had I hurt myself, coming forward with this news, I'd also hurt Kim. I had to do what I did. I didn't want to complicate Kim's life further. She's been through too much. I broke up with her because it would help _her_. Me? I can hardly come to terms with what I just did. I could shoot myself in the head right now.

"YO. What the hell did you do?" I looked up, seeing Jerry, looking at me as if he were disappointed and annoyed at the same time. I feel that feeling too. I also feel the pain.

"I broke up with her," I told him, straight forward and clear.

"Dude. What the heck?" Jerry said, his eyes wide in horror. "Just yesterday, you guys were all good, and now?"

"It's for a good reason, Jerry," I was trying to reason.

"Better be a really smart-ass reason, because Grace is flipping out, trying to get Kim to come out. The little people are worried too, asking if she found out her granny died."

I half-smiled, half amused. "Nobody died, Jerry."

"Well, someone will if we don't get that door open, man," Jerry said, looking down at himself. "Or Grace is going to cut off my baby-making organs."

I didn't want it to come out like this. Not that I'd have to break it to them after they were having such a good time. My heart was pumping fast and hard, and I felt all the blood go to my head. The heat didn't help at all with this problem. I made two fists, feeling sweat start to develop in my hands. I guess I was going to have to face the music sooner or later.

"No one is going to cut off your baby-making organs, Jerry," I sighed, slightly disturbed, and stood up, looking at the dojo. Kim wouldn't do this alone. I made a commitment. When I start something, I finish it.

How was I going to teach the kids when Kim wouldn't make any eye contact with me?

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

Hell, even the kids could feel the tension in the room. Kim had come out of the locker rooms with Grace, and she seemed very calm and collected. She'd only made eye contact with me once, and I could see the hurt in those hazel eyes of hers, and it cut through me.

I was teaching a short blonde, Jenny, how to kick properly. I had to give her my undivided, or she was going to knock over a trophy. She lost balance way too fast was her problem, and she always toppled over before she could kick anything. I guess karate came naturally to me, because you need a lot of balance for skateboarding. I could already see Jenny could not skateboard to save her life. Her on a skateboard would be a death sentence.

I told her to lie down, so I could teach her properly without her knocking anything down. "Okay, Jen, it's really easy." I forced the movements on her leg. "You just get your knee out, and then you just kick your leg …" and before I could help her complete the move, she went ahead, and kicked me in the face, her little big toe entering my nostril for a millisecond. My body fell back onto the hard dojo floor.

I could feel Jenny scramble to her feet. "Jack! I'm sorry! Did I hurt your pretty nose?" I would have been grateful for the compliment if my nose wasn't throbbing hard. I winced in pain. At least she knows how to kick.

"Break his pretty nose, Jenny," another blonde head joined Jen's, looking down at me with a foul and bitter expression. "And break his pretty everything else as well, 'kay? At least you know that you can kick really well for self defense." She was really mad. I could tell. If it weren't for the kids, she'd probably be clawing at my face. "So when your boyfriend – I mean, best friend breaks your heart one day, you know that you'll be able to kick his honker."

"Kim, can we please talk about this?" I practically begged. Well, I sounded like I was, because of the additional pain coming from my nose. I don't like us fighting.

Kim smiled down at me, but I could see how fake it was. "I'm sorry, Jack. I don't want to put you through all this torture, just hearing my voice." I could hear Jerry laughing, but I didn't know for sure if it was at me. Kim's hands cupped my face, and she made a kissy face at me, and slapped me with her right hand. I saw it coming. "I'll teach Jen how to kick _properly_."

"This really isn't necessary, Kim," I said loud, sitting up, looking at the blonde straight in the eye.

"You know what isn't necessary, Jack? You breaking up with me just because you're moving!" Kim was about to stomp off, but I grabbed her ankle, and she jolted forward, losing her balance and fell into my lap. That move was really not deliberate. But I took a chance anyways and chained my arms around her waist as she tried to struggle out of them. "Stop it, Jack! Stop!"

"Not until you just listen to me, Kim!" I shouted over her. "Kim." I said calmly now, and only then she sat still, and sighed. "Please try to understand." She unexpectedly put her head into my chest, and started crying again. I hated seeing her like this. She looked so sad.

"Kim, don't cry," Jenny said, and joined into what had now turned into a group hug. I thought it was pretty cute. Kim laughed into my chest, and I chuckled. She looked up at me with those beautiful hazel eyes, so full of tears. I wiped them away with my thumb as she sniffled.

"It'll be okay," I whispered down to her. "I promise." And then her lips met mine. There a chorus of "EW!"'s coming from the kids, who were either saying it in a really disgusted way, or in a happy way. It fitted the moment perfectly, I think. It was able to make Kim laugh, which I was really relieved about.

That was not all I was relieved about.

I was relieved that I could picture her in this dojo, smiling, laughing, living life without me. It hurt me, but that moment told me she was going to be okay, along with the rest of the gang.

After all, we did still have an entire summer left to spend together.

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

"**The truth is that our finest ****moments**** are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such ****moments****, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.****"**

**M. Scott**

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

_One Year Later_

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

**KIM**

It was a beautiful day in Seaford. The wind was calm, which was good, so the fact that Jerry and Eddie were having a sand fight didn't disrupt my reading. We were all on the beach, on this amazing summer's say. The sun wasn't too hot either. It was perfect. Everything was.

I lay under my pink umbrella, which was plunged into the sand firmly, and I was on my portable deck chair, reading a Sarah Dessen novel. It was a summer read, so it fit into my groove just right. I was using my sunglasses as a hair band, blocking out all the loose strands of my messy bun. I glanced over from the book, at Grace, Kelsey, Julie and Milton, all on beach towels opposite me, lying on their stomachs.

"I feel as if I'm in paradise," Grace sighed dreamily. "It's just so mind-blowing out here today. So peaceful." Grace was wrong about that part. I could hear guys playing very violent volleyball from far behind me, and I could also hear muffled out dubstep. I guess it added to the beach scene. What was a beach without music after all?

"Time to flip," Kelsey said, and her bronze body flipped around, showing off the more pale side.

"Ugh," Milton said from under his umbrella (which he was sharing with Julie) in complete disgust. "You know the tan color is actually just dead skin cells. I'd rather be as pale as milk than put my body through such maltreatment."

"I second that, honey," Julie agreed, but didn't seem to be paying much attention, since she was reading the latest issue of _Seventeen_ magazine.

"How could you be reading that, Julie? That magazine is filling your brain with horrible love advice and beauty garbage. I bet you not even half of all the products you see in that magazine are effectively accurate," Milton started.

"Oh my God, here we go," Julie said, turning onto her side to face her boyfriend. "Milty, I'm still a girl, okay? Believe or not, this magazine helped me score a date with you. Maybe you would have needed the help, since you ate roses that were meant for me."

"Ooh, you just got burned," Jerry and Eddie entered out of the blue, wet and cold from the Californian sea. Jerry sat down in the sand next to Grace and slapped her leg. "You look foxy." Grace kicked him in the chest. "Careful!" Jerry shrieked.

"Mm, mm, mm," Eddie shook his head. "That is not how you treat a lady. You make full body contact. You know, like, a hug." Eddie hugged Kelsey from behind and she giggled, turning her head to kiss him on the cheek.

I smiled at my friends, and looked back down at my book, starting off where I left. But I couldn't even finish one sentence before it was snatched out of my grip. I reacted. "Jerry!"

"Kim, you're the only one out of all of us who isn't dating anybody, yo," Jerry closed my book, and I frowned because I didn't bookmark the page. "Stop pulling a Julie and just go flirt with those guys." Jerry pointed behind me. He was indicating at all the jocks. I didn't want a jock. They were all abs and no brain.

"I don't need to be with someone to be happy," I said truthfully. "I'm happily single."

"Yeah, but you don't mingle at all," Grace backed Jerry up. "Kim, it's been, like, a year since you've been official with anybody." Grace must have seen my face drop. "This is what Jack would have wanted, Kim. For you to move on. That's why he let you go." I guess it is, isn't it?

"Guys, que sera, sera," I said, and I looked at Jerry, who rolled his eyes.

Milton sighed. "Kim, if you got it, flaunt it, girl. I bet if you just stand up, you'll have a line of guys waiting to be your boyfriend." Julie eyed Milton, and I giggled. Oh, what the heck? You only live once.

"Okay then," I shrugged, and I made my way up onto my feet, dusting off all unnecessary sand. I had a hot pink bikini and light denim shorts over my bottoms. I slipped on my flip flops. "I'll go flirt with the ice-cream man." I wasn't, really. I just wanted to give my friends some satisfaction, whilst I could, as well, get some ice-cream.

"You go, sugar," Eddie called out to me as I walked away from my friends.

The ice-cream stall was up the beach, on the pavement before the parking lot, so therefore I had to pass the volleyball playing jocks. I heard a few wolf-whistles, but I just ignored them. I was very used to this – ignoring guys and what they thought of me. Whatever will be, will be. When I finally meet the one guy for me, love will happen. I don't want to force anything. I wasn't a fan of hit and runs.

When my feet made contact with the pavement, the ice-cream stand was only a few steps away. When I finally made it, my eyes met the face of a cute ice-cream man. He was a blonde, with really pretty brown eyes. He was wearing a red cap and an apron, but he didn't have a shirt under. Ooh. Maybe this "moving on" thing wouldn't be so bad.

"Hey," the cute blonde said. "How may I help you?"

I cocked my head to the side, looking at my choices, taking sneaky glances at the hottie. What made it all the more flirtatious is that he caught me looking back up at him. He eyed me suspiciously as my eyes came back up to him for longer, holding his gaze. "You could make me a strawberry swirly," I said, softly.

"Strawberry swirly, coming up," the blonde said, flashing his perfect teeth. Now that I'd examined him even more, I came to recognize that he had a nametag on his apron. RICKY, it read. "Cup or cone?"

"A cone, please," I said, and he nodded. I looked at him as he worked with the ice-cream. Oh my God. He was so attractive. I tried looking away, playing with my locks, trying to look a little distracted and totally not into him, but my eyes always travelled back to his arms, which were in pretty good shape. And those lips …

Crap. He caught me. He smirked at me. "Liking the view?"

I tried to control the heat rushing from my cheeks. "I'm not complaining, you know." Ricky laughed, and I took my ice-cream from him after he was done.

I licked it a few times and saw he was staring. "Don't hold back," he laughed, and I allowed myself to blush this time. "That will be … three dollars." Three dollars. Three dollars.

… Do I have three dollars?

I used one hand to hold my ice-cream and the other to search in my short pockets for some money. I felt something deep in the pocket, and I started digging for the money. Ricky raised an eyebrow at me. Yeah. I know I was making a spaz face, but I wanted to have some ice-cream.

I finally got the notes out of my pocket, but because of some stone from underneath my flip flops, and I jolted backwards, almost losing balance, but instead, the notes jumped out of my hand. I gave up on trying to be graceful.

"You know what?" I sighed, and Ricky chuckled. "Could you please hold this?"

"Sure," Ricky smiled that smile once again, and I gave the cone over to him.

As soon as I turned around, I came into contact with a body. God. What was wrong with me today? But my heart did a flippy thingy when the owner of this chest's voice spoke.

"It's considered good luck when you pick up a blonde's money."

That voice.

I knew that voice.

It couldn't be.

I forced my eyes up, and I came face to face with a smiling brunet, the guy I'd been crying over for a year. The guy who broke my heart by leaving me. My best friend. He had the same chocolate brown eyes I remember, the same soft lips, the same two birthmarks on each cheekbone.

It was Jack Anderson.

I couldn't help it. I had to squeal, "JACK!" and then I swung my arms around his neck, jumping up onto him and wrapped my legs around his waist. I could feel my heart starting to pump faster with excitement and happiness. He squeezed me back, laughing at my choice of making friendly contact. I couldn't help it! I hadn't seen him in forever!

I decided I wasn't mad at him anymore for leaving. Yeah, he broke my heart, by leaving Seaford and then breaking up with me so he didn't have to got through all the long distance relationship drama, but he still kept contact with me, via Skype, IM and Facebook. But all of that was nothing compared to seeing him here in the flesh.

Jack swung me around before resting me back onto my feet. There was this pause of silence between us for a second. I felt a little flustered by this situation, him coming by surprise. But as well, I couldn't be more overjoyed. I guess I took way too long to respond, because Jack had been inching closer and closer to me.

Jack grabbed my face and his lips crashed against mine. It wasn't a hard kiss, but it wasn't the soft, either. It was a needy kiss, and I couldn't hold back. I'd been wanting to kiss him for such a long time. I kissed him back with everything I had.

When he pulled away, he also looked quite surprised with what he had just done. "What are you doing back in Seaford?" I asked him, it just flew right off my tongue.

"I'm staying, Kim," Jack said in a low voice. I felt my lips curve into a smile. "God. I couldn't stand being away from all of you – from Seaford. A few days ago, my mother was offered an awesome position down here – for good. We couldn't say no. The first thing we did was move back."

"But why didn't you tell me?" I said, feeling a bit angry.

"I wanted to surprise you," Jack smiled. I'd forgotten how that smile had melted my insides from head to toe. "Kim, I've been such an idiot, breaking up with you so we wouldn't have to have any kind of long distance relationship crap. Jerry even stated I 'friend-zoned' you, which is against guy code," I laughed. "But the point is, Kim, I can't move on. I tried so hard, but it was useless. The only one for me is you. This will sound really cheesy, but you are my Cinderella."

I brought him into another embrace, squeezing really hard. "I'm so glad you're back."

"Me too," he said into my hair, and kissed the top of my head.

Oh gosh. I'd totally forgotten about the ice-cream. When I turned around, looking at Ricky, he'd been at the stand, watching us, while licking my ice-cream. Seriously? The blonde boy shrugged. "This shit's better than the volleyball game." I looked back at Jack and we both burst into a fit of giggles. "Don't worry about it. This one's on me. You go run away with your Cinderella." Ricky took a pause, shaking his head at Jack. "Dude, you are so whipped."

"If you insult my man, _Ricky_, I will spill ice-cream down your shorts," I narrowed my eyes at him, and he put his hands up in defense.

"You're missing out on a real man," Ricky said smugly. Oh, he was an arrogant one, wasn't he? Insulting Jack. The first time anyone will get away with that is when Hell freezes over.

"I warned you!" I snarled, and I was about to have a go at him, and rip all those perfect locks from his head, but Jack lift me off the ground, and threw me onto his shoulder. Whoa. He'd gotten a whole lot stronger. I started trying to struggle out of his grip, but he kept me grounded.

"Calm down," Jack said. His voice was so soothing that I just obeyed him.

"Don't you think you should go tell the rest of the guys you're back?" I asked him, and there was a silence. I gasped. Oh my word. Seriously. "They knew, didn't they?"

"Only because I wanted to surprise you," Jack said in a 4 year old voice. I rolled my eyes as he let me onto the ground again. I noticed that my foot had come into contact with hot tar.

"Jack. I left my flip flop behind," I mumbled.

"No fear, milady," Jack said in a horrible British accent. "I will retrieve your glass slipper." Jack brushed passed me, laughing at himself. I smiled.

I was in love with such a dork.

When Jack returned, he knelt down on the pavement in front of me. He better not be proposing. If he is, I'll slap him silly. But he didn't. I slipped the pink flip flop onto my foot as I stood with my arms folded, continuously rolling my eyes. "You're a dweeb," I informed him as he rose back up to his normal level.

"But that's what you love about me," Jack's lips pecked mine a few times, before he said, "Spoon."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Jack. What in the hell does spoon mean?'

He laughed at himself. I was really confused. "Ask Jerry," he winked. I melted once again.

"Kimmy! Race you down to the pier!" He started sprinting in the right direction. I sighed, sprinting behind him, yelling at him about how he'd cheated. He won anyways. Hey. He was really tall. Taller people are always faster. I mean, have you seen the runners from Kenya?

But I guess how this story ends. Five days ago, I would have never expected jack's return, and for us to become a real family at the dojo again.

I've learnt one thing during my time of being Cinderella. Or The Girl In Red.

Time waits for no one.

_Life_ waits for no one.

You will never catch up. But what you could do is just go with the flow, and while you do, you can choose to scream, or just enjoy the ride.

Or just end up like me, telling no one you show up to a dance, have a guy fall for you, but he doesn't know you, and then when he knows it was you, he hates you because of some cheerleader who revealed all of it to the world, and you're just about to have a new fresh start in a new place, but then he comes and saves you, and then kisses you in the airport, finds your father's will, and then run a workshop with you in the summer which was really dramatic because you kept on getting into fights with him over the day you knew would come where you had to break up, and then he leaves you, and you're a lovesick little puppet, and when he returns, only _then_ you're ready to move on, but you fall for him like the idiot girl you are.

We girls, we are idiots.

Yeah. We get happy endings.

But they are never as glamorous as they are in the fairytales.

But an unglamorous happy ending, I assure you, is closer to perfect than a glamorous one will ever be.

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

**FIN**

**.:.:.:.:.:.:.**

**Author's Note:**

_Wow. Over 7000 words. I can feel the tiredness hit me. But I just had to write everything. I didn't want to hold anything back (even the cheesiness) , but I am very pleased with the results (: I don't know if I lived up to your expectations, but I guess it lived up to mine. But I know that's really not the point. But you can tell me about this through a REVIEW :D I'm sorry. I really like them. They make my day. (:_

_I apologize for any errors made on this story, or if you hated it. Tell me if you did. If I get a lot, I could rewrite. Even though I'm really lazy to. I'm a lazy donkey. _

_Well, please review, and whatever. (: Ooh dear. Here come the tears :'( … again. I'm finishing this story … once again. But this time, for good. I just couldn't afford to let this idea go to waste. _

_OH – and before I forget to ask – do any of you know what Jack meant by spoon? ;) I know it is really confusing and it makes the story a little more confusing than it needs to be, but I just want to see if anyone can guess. You don't have to if you don't want to, though. I am not forcing you to do anything. (:_

_ALL OF YOU._

_Keep amazing. _

_Please._

_Love Nia (: x_


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